Alarm as science falls victim to national standards
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Apr 06 2011 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Alarm as science falls victim to national standards
Wednesday, 6 April 2011, 12:16 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
David
SHEARER
Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology Spokesperson
6 April 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT
Alarm as science falls victim to national standards
Labour’s Research, Science and Technology spokesperson David Shearer says he is alarmed, but not surprised, by reports that science education is being pushed out of classrooms to make way for National Standards in numeracy and literacy.
“I am not surprised by what’s happening,” David Shearer said. “It is obvious National has no real commitment to science education and development apart from the token appointment of a ‘chief science adviser’ to John Key,” David Shearer said.
David Shearer said that in its push to promote National Standards, the Government had made big cuts to the school advisory service, including “letting go” many specialist science advisers.
“The irony is that the chief adviser, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, has recently written a report that emphasises the importance of early science education, and talks about the critical link between schools and the science communities.
“Clearly, Anne Tolley or John Key haven’t read this paper,” David Shearer said.
“The trouble with the John Key-style of politics is that it is more about show than substance,” David Shearer said.
“While the Gluckman appointment is branded by National as a commitment to the bigger picture, sadly that’s not the case.
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“The Government’s ideological commitment to National Standards at the expense of all else, including science, is actually a commitment to the smaller picture,” David Shearer said.
“New Zealand desperately needs scientists, researchers and innovators if we are to lift the economy out of the economic trough National has created.
“It’s not going to happen while John Key ignores his own chief science adviser and Education Minister Anne Tolley continues to display such a sterile lack of vision.”
ENDS
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